Testimonials

Citroen advertising shoot using PANI RLS.

 " Film & TV Kameramann"

Coverstory of August issue

... article (only available in German) 

Please see also various articles in e.g. "American Cinematographer", "British Cinematographer", "Jon Fauer's Film & Digital Times".

Jacob Ballinger

Gaffer

Jacob Ballinger has been working as a gaffer for almost 20 years and has completed both national and international productions.

Between 2009 and 2015 he has collaborated with Pani and has given his input into the development of the RLS PANIBEAM.

Gaffer PANI RLS report

Margaret Menegoz, producer Les Films Du Losange, Paris

“The Cine Reflect Lighting System has undoubtedly an influence on the production costs (saving on the lighting equipment, on the technicians, on the rigging time). Furthermore, the actors and directors have all noted the fantastic freedom engendered by the absence of luminaries on the set...”

Michael Haneke, director of Cache / Hidden, to Christian Berger AAC:

 “What impresses me most, is your commitment to this new concept of lighting – a revolution!
I wish you and the industry that it establishes itself. All directors and actors will love you for it...”

Ralf Zimmermann, Head of Production "Ludwig II"

"...the usage of the PANI RLS system enabled us to be very flexible with regards to the lighting techniques in difficult environments out- and indoors (e.g. Neuschwanstein Castle, Lake Chiem, Bavaria Studios)..."
"...Overall, compared to usual lighting systems, the technical complexity was much lower..."
"...PANI RLS does not heat up like other lighting systems, a huge opportunity in a.m. settings as well as in the studio..."
"...Also important is the maximum moveability for team and actors on set, as PANI RLS keeps the set clean of cables, grip material etc..."
"...The quality of lighting and pictures is extraordinary and meets every big film productions' expectations..."

STATEMENTS BY ACTORS

French actress Sylvie Testud while shooting "Dead Man’s Memories“:

Already in the first two days of filming, I had immediately thought to myself – there’s no light. Where is all the lighting equipment? Because I’m used to see large equipments with so many HMIs on set… Christian only used one or two HMIs for filming night outside. I took note of his system, when I had seen these small reflectors that looked like ping pong balls, like cut-up golf balls or something like that… I noticed it with the leading actor, who all of a sudden had an unbelievably clear gaze and I was able to make out the colour of his eyes for the first time… And I asked myself, where is this lighting coming from? I have had to search from where the light was coming.

French actress Natacha Régnier while shooting "On Ne Fais Pas Ça":

I sensed absolutely no spotlights… This brought an intimacy to the acting like at home…
    There was obviously a very elaborate present light, however. But you couldn’t sense the light like you can with the large spotlights. I actually had the impression that he (Christian Berger) was just using the light from the house. But it wasn’t true. He had many, many things with him in fact. Not until right at the end of filming I began to understand where and how he had positioned the light. Compared to the film that I made straight afterwards, where there were large spotlights all over the place. That was a massive difference. But here, with the light set as it was, there was no way I could have tripped on a stand.

French-Serbian actor Miki Manojlovic while shooting "On Ne Fais Pas Ça":

I did of course notice how the lighting was done because it interested me. What I find the most remarkable is the effortlessness of this lighting. It is the easiest that I’ve come across in all of my films. That is a finesse, a mastery of tasks that was clear to me from the very first day of filming. There are no large spotlights, no grip, no annoying lighting, nothing…it’s soft and extremely attractive – beautiful!

French actress Nicole Garcia while shooting "On Ne Fais Pas Ça":

The softness and the way the light respects the faces that’s what I sensed straight away, then it became a kind of game… where are the small reflectors this time?
You felt something mysterious, magical, as though illuminated from within as if the face had its own light. This probably comes from this special technique that the light sources are reflections. It became almost a game of hide and seek before each scene... where is the light. I began the film with the “dinner” scene… for me the light was located between knife and fork… there, I saw this small things. I hear “we are ready to shoot... Ah bon, are we ready? There on the table was something like a forgotten spoon… But no, that was the light.
I am already quite curious about watching the Luc Bondy film…but especially to see the light too, which is not actually my habit…

 STATEMENT BY THE CINEMATOGRAPHER DARIO J. FERRER:

I had the opportunity to use Christian Berger's parallel beam lamp and cinereflectors shooting in Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck. After this experience my conception of lighting has change forever. I'm deeply convinced that Christian's lighting system is a revolution in lighting comparable as the revolution that the invention of ENR by Vittorio Storage and Ernesto N.Rico supposed to lab processing. I had the honour of playing with the lights of the present and future in film industry. I can't wait to use them again.
Cinereflectors are not just an incredible way to work on exteriors shooting but also in interiors in combination with parallel beam projectors. They provide an amazing light and each of the reflectors gives you a special touch in your images, by choosing the reflector you are affecting character, the hardness or softness of your light without using any flags, nets or diffusors, and with almost no light lost.


Cinereflectors and parallel beam projector makes also the work of your lighting crew easier and more enjoyable. Then light becomes something non aggressive with the environment, non-interventional, as it establishes an inner dialog between natural light and reflected light either from the sun or from parallel beam projectors. As the equipment is really light allows women access to an area that used to be reserved also to men. I think women conception and impression| about lighting is going to deeply affect lighting and visualal conception of cinematography in the forecoming years.